Baked Oatmeal wasn't on my List of Deliciousness until I got this recipe from Awesome Tom.

Awesome Tom, our B&B fixer-of-all-things, is kind of a Renaissance man. He repairs railings, fixes pipes, sands down doors, gardens, and can create anything out of wood that you might ask for.  He also bakes, cooks, and sews, much to the delight of his wife as you can imagine.

Anyway, baked oatmeal never seemed like something I'd want to wake up to. It just sounded so...grandpappy..and false teeth-ish, and like what you'd eat in a nursing home.

Until the day Tom walked in with with samples and THIS  recipe. I was waaay wrong. Baked oatmeal is kind of like a warm oatmeal-cookie hug with fruit or whatever you want to put in it - even chocolate chips. Seriously! Of course, I had to bake a batch the very next day. It was so good I started making it in the morning and serving it to guests

Since then, this dish has become a menu item and a favorite at the Inn.

Because it only has six main ingredients, it goes together pretty easily. I know! Six ingredients, and you likely  have them all on your shelf right now! Just stir together, pour into a 9x9 square pan, and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Voila!

Get ready for a warm oatmeal-cookie hug. This WILL be one of the best parts of waking up!

Awesome Tom's Baked Oatmeal

9 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 c. quick oats
• ½ c. brown sugar, packed
• 2 t. baking POWDER
• 1 stick salted butter, melted
• 1 c. milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• OPTIONAL: 1 c. fresh blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, or other fresh fruit or nuts, or  ¾ c. dried cranberries, raisins, etc.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl stir together oats, brown sugar, and baking powder.
3. Add last three ingredient in order listed, stirring after each addition.
4. Gently stir in optional fruits or nuts.
5. Spoon or pour into a greased 9” square baking pan.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set.
7. Serve warm or at room temp. Have additional milk and brown sugar on the side to top the oatmeal - unless you're a purist like me!